The present invention relates generally to the field of boating equipment, and more particularly is directed to a novel anchor bracket suitable to support an anchor upon the deck of a boat.
An anchor generally can be considered as a heavy weight that is traditionally used to hold a boat or ship in a desired location, such as near shore, in a harbor, in a predetermined fishing area, etc. Most common anchors are made of iron or steel, or other heavy material and a rope or chain of suitable length is employed to fasten the anchor to the boat or ship. When the anchor is lowered to the bottom of the water, it is designed to catch in the mud to hold the vessel in place.
In the case of small boats, such as row boats, outboard motor boats, inboard motor boats and the like, several types of anchors are in common use. Such anchors include a cement can anchor, which is a cylindrically shaped mass of cement with an imbedded ring protruding from the top and the mushroom type of anchor, which comprises essentially a cast iron bowl fastened on the end of shank. In the case of larger and more expensive boats, such as power cruisers, the stockless type of anchor is most commonly employed. The stockless anchor comprises a shank having a ring at one end and which is equipped with the flukes and a crown at the other end. The flukes generally are pivoted relative to the shank and the anchor acts to hold the boat in place when the flukes dig into the ocean bottom. A rope or chain is attached to the anchor ring and interconnects the anchor to the boat. When it is desired to get under way, the entire length of the anchor chain or rope is pulled into the boat together with the anchor itself.
It is now the common practice to simply place the anchor upon the deck of the boat near the bow thereof when it is pulled out of the water. Once placed upon the deck, the very weight of the anchor itself serves to maintain the anchor in position until it is again desired to hold the boat in place, at which time, the anchor is again thrown into the water and the rope or chain is played out until the anchor contacts the bottom.
While the above procedures are almost universally followed in the pleasure boating industry, such procedures have the drawback of placing a rather cumbersome, ungainly and sometimes dangerously sharp metallic object directly upon the deck of a boat in such a manner as to effectively reduce deck space and to prevent beneficial use of the deck area that is encumbered by the anchor itself.